Washington (CNN) – Hillary Clinton has had an up and down week since her memoir "Hard Choices" hit bookshelves Tuesday. She's been personally called out, her words have been dissected and she has been criticized for what is - and is not - in the book.

But on Friday, sitting across from a close friend and longtime aide, Clinton told an audience of 1,500 people in Washington, that the process "feels a little bit liberating, to be honest."

(CNN) - President Barack Obama made his first trip as President to an Indian reservation on Friday and attended a traditional pow wow to signify his commitment Native Americans.

“I’m proud that the relationship between Washington and tribal nations is stronger than ever,” Obama said. “My administration is determined to partner with tribes and it’s not something that just happens once in a while. It takes place every day in just about every issue that touches your lives.”

(CNN) – Sen. John McCain added Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey to his list of people the President should fire over the deteriorating situation in Iraq.

In an interview Friday on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer,” the Arizona Republican also called for the United States to conduct airstrikes in Iraq to stop advances by the militant group the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS.FULL POST

CNN’s POLITICAL GUT CHECK | for June 13, 2014 | 5 p.m.
— n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

OBAMA MULLS IRAQ AIRSTRIKES BUT SAYS NO BOOTS ON THE GROUND ... No troops to Iraq, but other options are being considered. That was President Barack Obama's message Friday in response to the lightning advance by Sunni militant fighters in Iraq that could threaten the government of Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. In a statement delivered from the White House South Lawn, Obama said the United States "will not be sending U.S. troops back into combat in Iraq," but that he would be reviewing a range of other options in coming days. – Barbara Starr and Tom CohenFULL POST

(CNN) – Conservative Rep. Raúl Labrador of Idaho announced Friday he will campaign to become House majority leader, a position soon to be vacated by outgoing Rep. Eric Cantor.

"I want a House Leadership team that reflects the best of our conference," Labrador said in a statement. "Americans don't believe their leaders in Washington are listening and now is the time to change that."

Washington (CNN) - As the Mississippi GOP Senate runoff contest is about to enter into its final week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is getting ready to go up with a new television ad for embattled incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran, CNN has learned.

Cochran is squaring off against tea party favorite Chris McDaniel, a state senator, in a June 24th runoff.

(CNN) – GOP Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi had already commented about Eric Cantor's stunning primary loss earlier this week. So why did he appear unaware of the outcome when asked about it on Thursday?

"I don't know what you're talking about," the six-term senator said in an interview with Fox News, when asked about the race. "What happened in Virginia?"

A spokesman for Cochran said the senator "had been asked that question repeatedly and answered it repeatedly."